TNAG-0910-FCO40-1120-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 8

P Sicighthoine Esq Immigrat Lon Department international Building

Hong kong

I REGISTR

13 DEC 1979 GVV 341

1/393/1

سية 18 نگر خمار

Lda

G V V

Mr. Jamieson to see

Men PA

* 131-179

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

SINGAPOTE

7 December 1979

(115)

yes

705

TRANSIT VISAS FOR TAIWANESE

1. Thank you for sending me copies of your exchange of telegrams with Bangkok and Migration and Visa Department with your letter MM/J.1322 of (14) 13 November, which i have only just received.

2. As you know from our exchange of telegrams earlier in the year, our visa section was hard pressed because of the increase in applicat ions for Hong Kong transit visas from Talwanese, Although the 6000 or so transit visas issued here so far this year caused nothing like the problems suffered by Bangkok in having to issue 20,000, we would certainly not be able to cope with an increase in applications if tus was the result of the new arrangements set out in your telegram 96. if most faiwancse visit ; i Asia for the main

purpose of obtaining entry to ilong Kong for a short stay there, we would merely be divecting applicants from Bangkok to singapore if they were to continue to be able to get transit visas on demand here. in view of the recent introduction by the gaporeans of simplified travel documentation for Taiwanese visitors, thus seems more than likely.

3. There seems little point in refening to yong applications for transit visas from Taiwan residents for the same reasons as those put forward by Bangkok. Taiwanese visitors generally stay only a few days in singapore and it would be a pointless exercise for all concerned to refer applications knowing that the applicants would have left singapore long before the applications were processed. We already get complaints from Taiwanese that they spend a disproportionate amount of their time here obtaining affidavits in lieu of passports and although we are under no obligation to facilitate the entry of Taiwanese to Hong Kong we have no wish to create even more disgruntiement if it can be avoided.

4.

From our point of view the best solution seems to be for all Taiwanese residents who wish to obtain llong kong transit visas to apply in Taiwan before they leave. Taiwanese residents already have to apply there for their singapore visas so it would cause no additional inconvenience for them to apply for their Hong kong visas at the same time, even thongii processing wild take longer. If this proposal seems feasible i hope it can be implemented as soon as possible in the New Year. We would, of course, notify the angapore travel industry of any change in the arrangements for issuing transit visas to faiwanese. i would also be grateful for some guidance on the criteria governing the issue of visas in exceptional cases.

cc N & V Lept, Foo

A Kaye Consular officer